Fashion Week is the most highly-awaited fashion event of the year and now that it has wrapped up, we are all already counting down the days until the next one coming up this autumn. This year’s Arab Fashion Week was a success, as the Arab Fashion Council made it a priority to make a permanent mark in the industry by embracing diversity. One of the many ways it did so was by choosing a curvy model as their newest ambassador for the year in an effort to make a lasting impact for the future fashion weeks to come.
On the 25th of March, the Arab Fashion Council revealed Ameni Esseibi to be this year’s Arab Fashion Week’s newest ambassador which would earn her the title of the first-ever curvy ambassador for the council. But who is Ameni Esseibi? Well, she is more than just a pretty face with an honourable title, so we took it upon ourselves to ask the Middle East’s first curvy model a few questions to bring you all the details.
During her childhood, Ameni said she never thought modelling was even a career option for her due to how many misconceptions society had implanted in her head about the ‘perfect model body type’. “Society played with my head,” Ameni said.
Ameni began modelling when she was just a teenager right out of grade school at the age of 18. Ecommerce was the first modelling agency that was willing to sign her as one of their models, so she decided to follow her dreams and went for it.
Algerian model Farida Khelfa is Ameni’s biggest role model within the modelling industry and continues to be so even after all these years of her being in the industry. Ameni even got the chance to meet her inspiration in person. The model has had several people support and encourage her modelling career, but she believes that above all, you must be your own support system and should trust your own capabilities.
Not having the stereotypical model body type definitely made things harder for Ameni, she felt as if she had to constantly validate her talent and explain herself to gain her spot as a respectable model.
“It’s like you always have to explain yourself and justify why plus-size bodies should be included in the fashion industry.”
When Ameni was approached with the opportunity to become the first curvy model ambassador for the Arab Fashion Council, she said she felt honoured and was incredibly stoked about the opportunity she had been given. “I was super excited and super honoured to be chosen to represent such a big council in the region,” Ameni said.
When it comes to Ameni’s involvement within Arab Fashion Week, she walked in almost every show as the closing model, which stayed fresh in people’s minds and made a huge statement on the runway by highlighting diversity for the first time ever in the MENA fashion industry.
“My involvement was to make sure that there is diversity on the runway.”
She also has plans on making a bigger impact within the region and beyond, and dropped a subtle sneak-peek of her post-fashion week plans. “Post-fashion week, you’ll have to stay tuned for the activation that I’ll be doing for the region,” Ameni said.
Moving forward, Ameni hopes to see more diversity within the overall industry not just from the models, but the designers as well. She believes that is what she is here to do and will do whatever she can for permanent changes to be made in this business.
To all the women out there who do not have the stereotypical model body type, Ameni wants to encourage them to embrace it rather than bring themselves down. She believes that you are your biggest critic and if you believe in your own capabilities, then that is what will encourage you to keep pursuing your dreams.
“You do you. Don’t let anyone stop you from creating your dreams, you can do and be whatever you want in life as long as you believe in it.”
Ameni gave us an exclusive and revealed that there are two very exciting campaigns she has coming up, but she will keep the details under the wraps for now.
